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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25604110">Expertise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gardnerhill/pseuds/gardnerhill'>gardnerhill</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>221b Ficlets by Gardnerhill [101]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes &amp; Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson (TV 1980)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>221B Ficlet, Community: watsons_woes, M/M, Military Uniforms, Sherlock Has a Military Kink, Uniform Kink</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:49:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25604110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gardnerhill/pseuds/gardnerhill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Holmes isn't the only one who can disappear into a role.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes / John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>221b Ficlets by Gardnerhill [101]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/700461</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>More Holmes, Watson's Woes JWP Collection: 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Expertise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For the 2020 July Watson's Woes Promptfest prompt #29, <b>To the Makeup Table! </b>Focus on Holmes and/or Watson in disguise – for a case, or for any other reason</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Of course my Watson would never dishonour his own uniform by donning it for the purpose of subterfuge. Therefore when I wished him disguised as a colonel for a case, I acquired the full complement and let him adjust it as he saw fit. A little whitening brushed into his hair and moustache, a line or two penciled at his eyes, a monocle, and I barely refrained from saluting Watson myself.</p><p>A simple foray: attend the ball, let Watson distract every woman (and more than a few men) with his presence, and my own unnoticed self would search the estate.</p><p>The latter part was harder than I'd anticipated. Watson's natural military bearing – right down to moving through the room with the gravity of a line officer – was mesmerising. Every woman in the room danced with him, and all I could do was watch his fluid movements from the top of the stairs for a moment's envy before returning to my work.</p><p>I found the letters and banknotes that pinpointed my client's blackmailer and confiscated the damning evidence. Returning to the ballroom I caught the eye of the dashing officer, and the colonel gravely announced his exit to the mournful exhortations of the host and several guests.</p><p>I'm afraid we quite spoilt that uniform during that long dark cab-ride back to Baker.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><b>Author's Further Note:</b> My prior contribution to this July 4, 2017 prompt was <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/11400954">бонус (Bonus)</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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